Springfield 1903

[Shiner]

Have a Springfield 1903 that I inherited and have never shot. Now I have decided to shoot it but the sights have kinda thrown me off. There is the leaf that moves up and down for elevation, and then there is the hole in the center of the leaf. There is a V at the bottom of this hole, and a V at the top of the leaf. Do I use one or the other of the V's, or do I center the front sight in the hole in the leaf? May be a stupid question, but I have no idea!! Any help would be appreciated.

[blackpowderbill]

The rear leaf of a 1903 offer various sighting options. You can use the notch or the "peep" as you prefer. The peep will have a line on either side that you align with the appropraite range setting. then you align your sights just as with a conventional peep sight. This is how I use the sights when shooting in competition. If you prefer you can use the notch, just align the top edge of the notch with the range setting. With the sight folded all the way down and the slide all the way to the rear, the sight is set at 540 yards as a battle sight.

[Shiner]

Thanks for the info. This one has an after market stock and is drilled and tapped for a scope. After thinking on it for awhile I decided I'm just going to scope it. The sights seem a little complicated, and I have trouble with iron sights anyway, I think I need to go to the eye doctor!!

[blackpowderbill]

I agree, they are a bit involved. Really, way over engineered for the sight on a combat rifle. If ever you try to use one for hunting you are left wondering how they ever fought with those sights. I gather from reading that when the 1903 was being developed, Ordanance was very heavilly influenced by the rifle compatition crowd. This may be why we ended up with a terrific target rifle for the Army. It wasn't untill WW2 and the comming of the m1903A3 that the Springfield really became a first rate bolt action fighting rifle, and by the the new M1 had passed it by. At least in my opinion.